Chapter 66: “Choices”
“We sure made a lot of them. With this many, we can just burn them on whatever we want and it won’t be a big deal.”
Both Rare and Remy were able to craft Philosopher’s Stones that weren’t significantly different. However, when the ingredients included formic acid from weaker engineer ants, or normal Treant Ashes, then there was a big difference: They didn’t shine when using [Athanor] to heat them up. The marbled product did glow slightly, but that was the normal, expected reaction based on all their previous trials. In other words, it probably meant that the result wouldn’t be a “great success.” The differences were also clear once all the finished products were lined up next to each other; the ones made with Ashes of the World Tree were more vibrantly red, and they also faintly sparkled.
“You can tell right away when you hold one in your hands, but the dull-colored ones only improve their targets by one stage. Which means that Ashes of the World Tree essentially double the resulting effect.”
They tried synthesizing different combinations of ingredients, first always using low-rank formic acid, then always Treant Ashes, but the results in all those cases were the dull-colored stone. Only when both ingredients were the high-rank version did they get the vibrant Philosopher’s Stone that sparkled from the start.
“First, I want to try the ones that raise a stage by one. If I’m to be the final test, then ideally we’d want to try it on a character who’s close to me in stats first, not a material or item. The possible candidates are…”
<If that is the case, then I should be the test subject. Since I am already dead, even as I age, I do not experience any growth. If there is a chance for us to strengthen ourselves, then that would lead to an increase in our war power,> Deas volunteered.
“Hmm, I would have wanted to use the sparkly ones on our top brass, but… From what the instructions say, using two one-stage items should have the same result… However, if there’s a maximum number of stones that can be used on an individual, that would be problematic…”
This time, Sieg responded. <In that case, how about one of my skeletal knights? We would discover the same information about undead that Sir Deas described, but since it is just a skeletal knight, then you will not feel any obligation to use this item on each and every one of them. In addition, if it is an item that can only be used once per individual, then there would be no problem.>
“Good idea; worst case, I can still use him as a boss monster. Let’s do it. Call one up, if you would.”